Journal of Environmental Science and Health Part B-pesticides Food Contaminants and Agricultural Wastes最新文献

In this study the histopathological and ultrastructural effects of atrazine, a widely used herbicide, on the muscle tissue of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) were investigated. To evaluate the sublethal effects of this herbicide, O. niloticus individuals were exposed to 0.9 mg/L atrazine (LC50/10) for 21 days, based on the previously reported LC50 value for O. niloticus. Muscle tissue samples were collected on the 7th, 14th, and 21st days of exposure and analyzed using both light and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Semiquantitative scoring of histopathological lesions revealed a range of atrazine-induced changes in muscle tissue, with increasing severity over time. The most prominent changes included pyknotic nuclei, muscle fiber deformation, and necrosis, indicating cellular membrane disruption and impaired energy metabolism. Ultrastructural analysis by TEM also showed mitochondrial cristolysis, dilation of the sarcoplasmic reticulum, and vacuolar deformation of the sarcoplasm. The results demonstrate that atrazine exposure, even at sublethal concentrations, can cause significant cellular and subcellular damage in the muscle tissue of O. niloticus. This study contributes to a growing body of knowledge on the adverse effects of atrazine on aquatic organisms and emphasizes the importance of monitoring and mitigating atrazine exposure in aquatic environments.

Disposable paper cups are widely used for consuming beverages, particularly hot drinks, in daily life. However, concerns regarding the migration of hazardous chemicals from these cups into beverages have been largely overlooked. This study investigates the presence of phthalates, bisphenols, photoinitiators (PIs), and two perfluorinated compounds (PFC) in polyethylene and polystyrene based beverage cups from Turkey. Potential migrants were quantified using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) in a total of 40 cup samples. Among the phthalates analyzed, di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) was the most prevalent, with concentrations reaching up to 0.95 mg/kg. Bisphenol A (BPA) was the dominant bisphenol, detected at levels between 0.01 and 0.02 mg/kg. Five photoinitiators-benzophenone, 1-hydroxycyclohexyl phenyl ketone, 4-methylbenzophenone, 4-hydroxybenzophenone, and ethyl 4-dimethylaminobenzoate-were frequently identified, indicating the contribution of printing inks and surface coatings as contamination sources. In addition, perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) was detected in two samples, highlighting the potential presence of PFOA in disposable food-contact materials. The results underscore the need for continued surveillance of food-contact materials and the implementation of stricter regulatory controls to reduce long-term consumer health risks.

This study investigated the individual and combined effects of polyethylene microplastics (mPE) and arsenic (As) on maize (Zea mays L.) seed germination. Maize seeds were exposed to mPE (0.1%, 0.5%, 1%, and 2%) and As (1, 2, 5, and 10 mg/L) to assess changes in germination indices (germination rate, vigor index, germination index, germination energy, root/shoot length, and fresh/dry weight) and antioxidant enzyme activities [peroxidase (POD), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT)]. Low concentrations of mPE (0.1%) or As (1 mg/L) were found to slightly promote germination rate, vigor index, and root/shoot length. In contrast, high concentrations (1-2% mPE; 10 mg/L As) significantly inhibited germination indices. Under combined exposure, 0.1% mPE with all concentrations of As synergistically enhanced the vigor index and shoot length, whereas 2% mPE with all concentrations of As exhibited antagonistic effects. Low concentrations of mPE (0.1-0.5%) or As (1 mg/L) individually enhanced POD, SOD, and CAT activities. In contrast, high concentrations of As reduced POD and SOD activities, suggesting potential impairment of the antioxidant system. The interactions between mPE and As exert concentration-dependent effects on maize germination and antioxidant defense. These results provide a basis for the risk assessment of combined mPE and As contamination in agricultural ecosystems.

This study evaluated the efficiency of herbicides used in pre and post-emergence to control Tithonia diversifolia. The first study tested atrazine, oxyfluorfen, fomesafen, and nicosulfuron in pre and initial post-emergence applications. Post-emergence applications of glyphosate, glufosinate ammonium, 2,4-D, and picloram targeted young plants of seminiferous and vegetative origin. In the field, glyphosate, 2,4-D, and picloram were tested for adult plants. A control treatment without herbicide application was included for comparison. Atrazine, oxyfluorfen, and fomesafen achieved 100% control in pre and initial post-emergence, whereas nicosulfuron was ineffective against the species. Picloram provided excellent post-emergence control (>99%) of adult plants in the field and young plants from seeds and cuttings, even at doses lower than those recommended for other species. Glyphosate effectively controlled young plants, but doses above 2400 g a.e. ha^-1 were necessary for adult plants. Ammonium glufosinate at a dose of 800 g a.e. ha^-1 promoted control of over 80% in seedlings from seeds and cuttings. Higher doses of 2,4-D effectively controlled both adult and young plants. Glyphosate, 2,4-D, and picloram effectively controlled both young and adult plants. The study provides an alternative to control T. diversifolia, this important invader of natural and agricultural systems in tropical and subtropical regions.

Animal-derived foods intended for human consumption are susceptible to the accumulation of toxic substances, including pesticides. In Mexico and other countries, pork is one of the most consumed meats, with a high demand. Therefore, the entire production and marketing chain must adhere to the quality standards established by each country and international quality guidelines. This study aimed to identify five pesticide residues of the family organophosphates (glyphosate, malathion, diazinon, parathion, and methamidophos) and one neonicotinoid (imidacloprid), in pork meat samples obtained from supermarkets and butcher shops in the northeast (Monterrey, State of Nuevo León, and Victoria, State of Tamaulipas) from Mexico utilizing Ultra-Performance Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (UPLC-MS). Glyphosate, malathion, parathion, methamidophos, and imidacloprid were not detected in the pork samples. However, diazinon was detected with a positive rate of 30.30 % in pork samples from local supermarkets and butcher shops in Monterrey and Victoria. The detection of diazinon residues in pork samples from northeastern Mexico underscores a potential risk to human health. Therefore, it is crucial to implement monitoring and control strategies for this or other pesticide residues.

This study presents a label-free optical biosensor based on fully spherical liquid crystal (LC) microdroplets for the simple and sensitive pesticide detection. The LC-water interface was modified with myristoylcholine chloride (Myr), a cationic surfactant, resulting in a radial molecular configuration of the LC microdroplets, in which LC molecules orient perpendicularly to the droplet surface. Upon the introduction of acetylcholinesterase (AChE), enzymatic hydrolysis of Myr is triggered, inducing a transition to a bipolar configuration, where LC molecules align parallel to the droplet interface. Conversely, the presence of AChE inhibitors, such as dimethoate and fenobucarb, suppresses this hydrolysis, thereby preserving or restoring the droplets to a radial configuration. Experimental results reveal that the detection limits for fenobucarb and dimethoate reach 1 × 10^-8mg/mL and 1 × 10^-9mg/mL, respectively, both well below the maximum permissible levels specified by water quality regulations. This platform exhibits a sensitivity improvement of approximately two orders of magnitude compared to systems utilizing hemispherical LC microdroplets. Additionally, successful application to real water samples from Heilongjiang River validates its practical utility. Overall, this label-free, simple, and highly sensitive LC microdroplet-based biosensor represents a promising approach for environmental pesticide monitoring.

Veterinary antibiotic residues in foods of animal origin (FOAO) are of public health concern because they can contribute to antimicrobial resistance, disruption of gut microbiota, hypersensitivity reactions and developmental effects following chronic exposure. This study investigated the occurrence of six veterinary tetracyclines (oxytetracycline, tetracycline, doxycycline, chlortetracycline, demeclocycline and methacycline) in FOAO from the Ugandan Cattle Corridor districts of Nakaseke and Nakasongola. Raw milk, muscle tissue, liver and kidneys were analyzed for tetracyclines using high performance liquid chromatography and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Districtwise analysis revealed a moderate prevalence of tetracycline residues in milk (5.3-42.1%) and beef (7.7-69.2%), with oxytetracycline being the most detected. Of these, 5.3-69.2% of the samples had oxytetracycline, methacycline and tetracycline concentrations exceeding their maximum residue limits established by the European Union Commission Regulation No. 37/2010. These results provide baseline data on the presence of tetracycline residues in marketed FOAO from the Ugandan Cattle Corridor. It emphasizes the need for strengthened antimicrobial stewardship, enforcement of veterinary drug withdrawal periods, and routine national antimicrobial residues monitoring in FOAO.

Pesticides perform a vital role in delivering profitable agriculture and global food security, but concerns remain with respect to impacts on the environment and human health. Consequently, there is an ongoing need for pragmatic techniques to assist pesticide policy development, evaluation, and communication. In 2020, the Danish Pesticide Load Indicator was applied to the UK, identifying several deficiencies with respect to UK environmental conditions and regulatory processes. The aim of this study was to address these deficiencies and develop the PLI methodology to better meet the needs of UK policy. A key decision was not to aggregate the individual load metrics into a single index, but to present the results as a suite of 20 metrics (four environmental fate, 16 ecotoxicity). Three examples are provided, highlighting how this approach reveals impacts on individual taxa and potential tradeoffs of pesticide withdrawals (or other policy decisions) which would have been hidden by aggregation. This presents additional communication challenges, but these are outweighed by a richer picture, and many challenges can be overcome with modern technology (e.g. online indicator dashboards). Further developments are expected including the addition of other taxa as data becomes available; and improvements for calculating uncertainty in pesticide usage data.

Cobweb disease (CBD) is currently one of the major problems in mushroom crops. The main aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the application of several chemical fungicides (metrafenone, prochloraz-Mn and fluxapyroxad) and Bacillus-based products for the control of CBD in artificially inoculated mushroom crops, and the phytotoxic effect on mushroom productivity in a mushroom cropping trial without inoculation. The reduction in disease incidence obtained after application of prochloraz-Mn was around 90%, while the reduction after the three Bacillus-based treatments was less than 30%. For the fungicides metrafenone and fluxapyroxad, reductions of 40% and 65% were reported, respectively. Moreover, the effect of these products on mushroom productivity showed that the application of fluxapyroxad was related to a significant decreasing in production in both non-inoculated and inoculated trials, with a strong fungitoxic effect at the first flush. Besides, the in vitro resistance levels of Cladobotryum isolates to prochloraz-Mn and metrafenone have been evaluated. The in vitro tolerance to metrafenone of Cladobotryum isolates has been reported, while prochloraz-Mn could still be considered a useful fungicide against CBD. Further studies could be carried out to improve CBD control bio-methods.